


Home Care

by shanachie



Series: City Protectors [2]
Category: Castle
Genre: M/M, boys, slight language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-08
Updated: 2015-06-08
Packaged: 2018-04-03 12:28:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4100959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shanachie/pseuds/shanachie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Esposito takes care of his partner after Ryan gets some information the so-called Irish way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home Care

**Author's Note:**

  * For [k3nj1ph1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/k3nj1ph1/gifts).



> I honestly have nothing to add about this one. I actually wrote it before the other one, but since it occurs later, I decided to post it second. So like I said hopefully I’ll get some more done soon.
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** No one recognizable belongs to me. Not making any money off this.  
>  **Second Disclaimer:** Despite being fanfiction, this is MY work and I do not give anyone or any other site permission to republish this story under my name or any other without my authorization.  
> 

Esposito caught Ryan as he wavered on his feet. “How much did you drink with those Irish boys?” he asked, finally giving up and wrapping an arm around the smaller man’s shoulders and drawing him close.

Ryan glared at him. “Not _that_ much.”

“You smell like a brewery.” Esposito wrinkled his nose. “And…” He shook his head. “I don’t want to attempt to figure out what that is.”

“I told you. Don’t. Ask.”

“No, you told me not to ask about the leprechaun tossing. Which, really, Kev?”

“I refuse on the grounds that… No, I just refuse.”

Esposito ducked his head, intending to nuzzle against Ryan’s neck, but then pulled back just as he made contact with Ryan’s skin. “Did you bathe in the booze?”

That drew another glare and a curt, “No.”

Pushing his guide out of the elevator as it reached their floor; Esposito herded him towards their apartment. “Strip, shower, get that smell off you.”

“Are you saying I stink?” Ryan asked as Esposito reached around him and unlocked the door.

“No, I’m saying you smell like you bathed in booze and…” Esposito wrinkled his nose again. “I don’t like it.”

Ryan leaned towards him, clearly intending to kiss the older man, but Esposito pulled back. “That bad?” Ryan questioned.

“Shower.”

“Gonna join me?” Ryan asked, heading towards the bedroom and the en suite.

Esposito made a non-committal noise, but didn’t follow Ryan.

Inside their bedroom, Ryan stripped off his jacket, examining the rip in the shoulder. Finally deciding it would eventually be salvageable, he tossed it in the laundry basket before following it with the rest of his clothes. He was just starting the water when Esposito joined him in the bathroom, now wearing just his jeans.

“Did you change your mind?” Ryan asked.

Esposito didn’t answer as he reached around the slightly smaller man to test the temperature of the water. Clearly not satisfied with it, he adjusted the taps before pulling back and running his hand down Ryan’s arm.

“Have you reached the non-verbal stage of the evening?” Ryan continued questioning.

Again there was no answer as Esposito continued to ghost his hands over Ryan’s skin. The guide submitted to the check, waiting somewhat patiently as his sentinel found each bruise, each mark on his skin. A low rumble started as the older man found the first mark and got louder and more vicious as he found more.

“Hey,” Ryan said, grabbing Esposito’s chin and forcing him to look the blue-eyed man in the eye. “I’m _fine_. Bumps and bruises only. And they _aren’t_ that bad.”

Esposito growled in response, nudging Ryan towards the tub. Shaking his head, the detective switched the water to shower and climbed in.

“ _Are_ you joining me?” Ryan questioned.

The sentinel considered him for a few minutes, watching as he ducked beneath the water, wetting himself down. Finally Esposito couldn’t delay any longer and he practically ripped his jeans off, slipping into the shower.

Ryan leaned back against Esposito as the muscular man wrapped his arms around his partner. “I really wasn’t in any danger,” he commented. “Yeah they were tuillis, but I _can_ take care of myself.”

“Leprechaun tossing?” Esposito questioned, his arms tightening on Ryan’s waist.

The Irishman thunked his head on the other man’s shoulder. “ _Please_ stop asking.”

Esposito grinned, nudging Ryan with his nose and wrinkling it as he caught the faint traces of alcohol still clinging to the younger man’s skin. “See, but the more you tell me ‘no’, the more curious I get.” Sighing, Ryan reached for the soap, but before he could start washing himself; Esposito took the cloth and soap from him.

Carefully, slowly Esposito washed his partner. Esposito stroked the washcloth down Ryan’s body, paying special attention to the places where the offensive scents were the strongest. As he got back to his feet, Ryan turned so they were facing each other. “Better?” he murmured.

Esposito pulled him closer, burying his nose in the crook of the shorter man’s neck. Ryan threaded his hand into the short hair on the back of his sentinel’s neck and steered them so they were more fully under the spray. Just before the water began to turn cold, Esposito released Ryan, prodding him to send him out of the tub.

Ryan fully expected Esposito to insist on drying him off, but the sentinel simply handed off the towel and took his own. When he was finished, Esposito took the towel back from him and nudged him towards their bed.

He didn’t bother grabbing clothes; knowing Esposito would just insist he take them back off. The sentinel grabbed a pair of shorts and pulled them on, heading out of the room to check the locks. Meanwhile, Ryan adjusted the pillows to his likely. He figured he had a fifty-fifty chance that Esposito would re-arrange him when the sentinel returned.

By the time Esposito returned (satisfied that their home was safe for the night), Ryan had almost drifted off. The jostling of the other man entering the bed disturbed him and he automatically rolled into the warm heat of the other body. Just as Ryan had suspected, Esposito rearranged him, settling Ryan so the smaller man was lying mostly on top of him. He breathed out slowly as their bodies settled together and he wrapped his arms around Ryan. “Mine,” he breathed.

“Feel better, mo chroí?”

Esposito tightened his arms for a moment, then pressed a kiss to the skin beneath his mouth. “You smell better, but I still don’t like that you were hurt.”

Ryan freed one of his hands and smacked Esposito. “Not a damsel.”

The sentinel grinned in response as he captured the hand that was abusing him. “Doesn’t mean I don’t want to protect you.”

Ryan sighed. “I’m not getting into it with you right now.”

“Te quiero,” Esposito told him seriously.

“I know,” Ryan replied. “I love you, too.” Reaching up, he pressed a kiss to the small smile still on Esposito’s lips, deepening the kiss when Esposito opened his mouth.

Separating, they settled back down with the slighter man mostly sprawled across his partner. As much as he complained about how overprotective Esposito could be, he enjoyed a lot of the aftermath.

 

_Tuillis—bastards_  
_mo chroí—my heart_  
_Te quiero—I love you._  



End file.
